Hardwood over stone floor dilemma

15 years ago

Hi everyone. What a great forum! I'm a newbie who has been lurking in here for a few weeks (and getting some really valuable information) as we are getting ready to take the plunge on a new kitchen/family room remodel project. I'm wondering if anyone has any words of advice on a kitchen/den floor dilemma.

The project is one that's changed in scope a few times - from basically an in space cosmetic redo, to a gut job of both kitchen and adjoining sunroom/den. The existing sunroom has about 500 square feet of bluestone installed over a slab, which we want to redo one way or another. We are planning to knock out a bearing wall to open up the two spaces. Here's the problem. I'd love to install wood floors throughout the two spaces. Our builder tells us that to painstakingly chop up the slate, lay new subfloor and a wood floor on top would be a fortune (as in close to 5 figures before materials!!) We could lay a wood floor OVER the existing floor, but that would result in an unacceptable almost 2 inch change in height of the adjoining spaces and a step up to the dining room, which is open to the space, too.

There's a second issue, too. We have existing light oak Mirage floors throughout the rest of the first floor, ie foyer, dining room, living room and hallway. Meanwhile, I'm finding myself leaning to a creamy white kitchen with darker cherry stained island. I'd love a wood floor in there for several reasons. Unfortunatly, the floor I'd want if all else were equal would be darker than what I already have in the rest of the house. Would it look awful to have two woods that adjoin? How have people handled that transition for something like that? I'd really love to have wood in the family room.

The one solution to all this, of course is to put down porcelain tile or travertine or something throughout both spaces. I wouldn't mind that so much for the kitchen, but am queasy about doing it in the den area - a space that's also going to include a TV wall and a fireplace. So am I resigned to tile throughout? I do know that there are some beautiful ones out there. Any new technologies or materials that could help? Builder suggested Pergo or similar as a solution, but I would probably rather do the tile if it came to that.

Thanks in advance!

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Comments (7)

User
15 years ago
We have oak and walnut, we used an oak transition at the doorways and it looks great.
eandhl
15 years ago
Mixed floors are fine and actually add interest to a home. Are both floors covered with the blue stone? Is there an appropriate area that you split the difference and leave it in the sun rm portion with an area rug and do the darker wood in the kit area? If you have a lot of windows and sun exposure the blues tone will heat up making it cozy.
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Yes, it's one of those single floor constructions...3/4" T&G fastened directly to the joists. Since the house is balloon frame construction, you might be safe just removing the existing T&G and installing new in place of it. That is what I would do, if it was my house. That way you change no finished height, the stair cadence is not affected and you can add sound deadening unfaced insulation in the cavity below. Any sound attenuation efforts are going to have minimal results whatever you decide to do. If you decide to replace the single floor construction, make sure the strip flooring you purchase for the project is the longest lengths you can get and are milled for a good fit (you want as little 'play' in the T&G as you can get). Also, you may have to add some additional blocking here and there, especially adjacent to an exterior wall edge where there may not be sufficient support.
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It sounds like you already know all the pros and cons. For a tough decision I try to picture an imaginary scale stacked with the pros and cons of each finish and determine which way the scale tilts. Would it be worse to have a floor that stains with red wine than one that's hard to touch up if it gets scratched? I'm currently in the midst of refinishing my living room floor was finished with gym sealer and wax over 40 years. I've decided to use Rubio but haven't decided on the color yet. Of all the HWO floors I've done the only staining issue has been with dog urine on a White Oak floor finished in white. The client insisted on a zero VOC finish and I warned her the main problem would come if there was a dog accident. She assured me her dogs were all well behaved, then she got a puppy.
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Yikes... that's quite a herd of pups! Sorry you're having problems... but I'd have to agree with anyone who suggested removal, replacement of the area involved... With any luck (and a bit of expertise) either the people who did your prior "refinish" will have the stain brand & or formula, and can PERHAPS blend in the new material to match (close) to the original... however, there aren't many of us willing to assure a perfect match. Floor looks like 3/4" x 2-1/4" Oak (although if it's actually very old, the material was milled to 25/32" thickness, and in that pic, I'd say Red... but possibly White oak)… Point is, that product is quite readily available UNFINISHED, from most local flooring distributors, (but there may be some slight differences in milling, lumber appearance, etc..) The "old growth" lumber definitely looks a bit different in comparison to the more modern stuff... but as I said, a guy who knows what he's doing should be able to get you back to where you were. One last suggestion... should you try that approach, consider using a water-based poly finish... there are many on the current market that afford the "user friendly", almost odorless, less toxic results in a fraction of the time needed for oil based finishes... and one that comes to mind (which we use regularly) is Emulsion Pro by Basic Coatings. It's an oil emulsion, water-based product which ambers slightly to give the same rich, golden tone associated with oil based products. And, it's easy to maintain & or repair (if needed), although, once again, I don't recommend having someone who isn't "qualified" jump into the picture... experience may come with a slightly higher price tag... but it's typically well worth it in the long run. Sorry to "drone on"... best of luck, and if you have any questions, we'll try to help.
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eastcoastmom
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the responses!

Right now the family room/sunroom is covered in the blue stone, the kitchen has an old vinyl tile, and the rest of the house, including the foyer/hallway and dining room are in the light oak wood. There are a lot of windows (there will be even more after we do this project) and the space gets a lot of morning sun. We are opening up a wall between the two spaces and they will essentially become one "great" room.

Even if I find the perfect wood that goes with the color scheme and the other wood adjoining, I still do have the problem of a step up to the dining room (subfloor plus wood floor on top of blue stone would raise the floor by at least 1 3/4 inches)that such a treatment would create. And as I mentioned, ripping out the old (unattractive) bluestone would be very expensive.

Any techiques to deal with the step up issue ( for example being able to lay the wood more directly on the stone) that anyone knows of? Thanks again.
organic_nettie
15 years ago
Hi I just read your post in my question box regarding granite and color combinations.

I have a light reddish oak hardward all over my home. Now that I am doing the kitchen I choose Bruce gunstock.My daughter has is all over her home and it is beautiful, but it is a nice even flow. We put down some pieces to check out the difference in color and I am really not sure I like the different colors. I love my older floors and I feel that the new one is a little overpowering. I am so confused. I have lots of lights in the kitchen and it is pretty bright, but I will have dimmers. The cabinets look very nice with the floors, but I am not sure if it just blends too much.
Also, the Giallo Veneziano I saw in three different slab yards are all different. Actually, I like the old color that they have samples of, but all the new slabs they have are different. Some are too orange or salmon color and some are just too whitish beige. I can't wait until this kitchen is done so I can relax. I am so tired of making decisions and my husband is really losing his patience.
Buehl
15 years ago
eastcoastmom...you might try posting on the Flooring Forum to see if they have any ideas.

Here is a link that might be useful: Flooring Forum
busybme
15 years ago
Any chance you would be willing to keep the slate? I read an article in the NYTimes this past spring (May maybe) about Bluestone Slate making a comeback and they've had to reopen some older quarries to keep up with the renewed demand.

Also, I don't know much about your existing wood floors, but down the road you could consider restaining them to match the darker wood.

I would second the recommendation to post your question in the Flooring Forum. I'm sure some there will have much better advice than I can give! : )

Sandy
eastcoastmom
Original Author
15 years ago
organic nettie, I know- it seems there's always something that's a determining factor, even if you are doing something more or less from scratch. Good luck to you on your search for the granite!

buehl and busybme, Thanks for the suggestion about the flooring forums. I will do that.

busybme, That's interesting about bluestone coming back. I did consider your suggestion at one point. Unfortunately, it doesn't really go with the color scheme I have envisioned and the kitchen would then need it, too, since it's all going to be one space (and more, since some walls are being bumped out). Thanks!

Hardwood over stone floor dilemma

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Hardwood over stone floor dilemma

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